The present invention relates generally to fuel consumption devices and more specifically to a new method and apparatus for measuring fuel consumption and to calculate fuel consumption rate.
Fuel consumption meters generally include a device to measure the flow of fuel from the carburetor to the internal combustion engine and calculate the miles per gallon using an indication of distance travelled. The expense of these devices has been fairly substantial and has prevented their introduction into the market because of the sophistication needed to monitor the fuel flow rate. With the introduction of electronic fuel injection, an accurate measure of fuel being consumed is a direct relationship to the electronic signal which drives the fuel injectors as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,062. Generally, the width of the pulse which activates the fuel injector has a direct relationship to the amount of fuel being dispensed.
Thus there exists a need for an inexpensive device to measure fuel flow rate, other than direct measuring with expensive flow meters, and that might be used with engines that do not have electronic fuel injection. U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,710 illustrates one approach to indirect measurement and the present invention another.